As the NEET PG exam application date approaches, FMGS’ worries are getting more and more

Foreign medicine graduates held a protest in Vijayawada in January. |Picture source: File Photo/giri kvs

The waiting for permanent registration (PRS) of foreign medicine graduates (FMGs) affected by the pandemic continues even after the state forms a temporary medical board with six members.

On March 24, when the state government issued a government order for the six-member provisional medical committee constitution, many of the FMGs’ new hopes were new until then, they were told that one of the reasons for the delay in issuing the PRS was due to the lack of council bodies.

The new interim council members took over on April 1 and are expected to hold an immediate board meeting to decide on the chairman of the six members. According to the information, the Chairman will issue a final appeal on the FMG issue, but the meeting was postponed at least twice between April 1 and 21.

Meanwhile, with the date of national qualification-involved test (NEET) PG, graduates’ concerns are growing, with the last date for applying for the exam being May 7.

Viplav (name change) said: “We can’t apply for the exam without temporary or permanent registration. He said the council members supported it, but could not have a clear timeline.

If the PR is not released by May 7, many people will have to miss NEET. Those who completed a one-year internship last May, according to their distribution letter, were the most praised, as they had to skip NEET last year because they did not send PR to them.

They were told that according to the National Medical Council (NMC) guidelines, they would have to do another internship year to get PR. Adhering to a two-year internship has sparked protests in the state, and the PR process has long been in a difficult situation.

Loss school year

At the same time, many people continue to study NEET PG 2025, hoping that the entire problem can be solved this time. However, without any clarity, graduates are worried about wasting another year.

“We have spent six years getting a degree comparable to a degree from MBB. Then, after completing the internship, we were forced to wait for PR. When will we get PG? How many years will we have before completing our studies?” Wonder Viplav, who received his medical degree in Kyrgyzstan in 2016.

“As of the beginning, APMC has been giving different reasons. At first, we were told that the agency of the council was not established. Then, we were asked to practice another year internship, and later, we were told that we had to submit a new certificate of compensation,” another graduate said.

New format

APMC recently asked them to resubmit details of compensation in a new format, mentioning online learning periods and online research compensation periods through offline modes. However, the graduate said parents refused to provide details without the NMC circular.

Graduates also seek information through the right to information to find out if the NMC has a circular regarding the new compensation certificate format. “There is no loop that requires a new compensation certificate format. Why should APMC stick with it when no other states require such details?” Vipraf questioned.

According to the information of the Council, an executive body must be established and the issues of the FMGS will be discussed at the first time. However, when will the actuator be formed.

Meanwhile, due to uncertainty about the PRS in Andhra Pradesh, some graduates have recently written exams for foreign medicine graduates and they have begun choosing other states to complete their internships.